The Greatest New Franchises of the PS3 and Xbox 360 Era

The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are about to become obsolete, with the pending launch of the next generation of video game consoles. We thought it’d only be fair to look back at the new franchises this era gave us; the games we didn’t yet know we couldn’t live without.First, a couple of notes: this list is in alphabetical order, not in order of “best to worst.” Secondly, this is not an all-inclusive list; I’m certain some franchises will be overlooked or left off. Thirdly, there are no Nintendo titles on this list because – while I love Nintendo – new IPs aren’t exactly synonymous with their style.

That being said, here are some of the greatest IPs created during the PS3 and Xbox 360 era:

ASSASSIN’S CREED

An epic five-part trilogy (yeah, explain that one, Ubisoft) that takes place during the Crusades, Renaissance, and American Revolution that blends stealth, action, and a sometimes convoluted “race against time” story, Assassin’s Creed definitely helped us get in touch with our inner badasses.

BIOSHOCK

Would you kindly take a moment to appreciate what Ken Levine and 2K Games did with this story? An epic adventure in an underwater city gone wrong, combining first person shooter elements with superpowers. While BioShock 2 wasn’t quite what we were hoping for, BioShock Infinite is looking great and the future seems bright for this franchise.

DISHONORED

In what was, at least for some, a surprise hit, Bethesda crafted a spectacular first-person adventure that allows great freedom for the player: you can just run through taking out folks at will, or adopt a stealthy approach, and see the game’s world and story adapt to your playing style. The first game sold so well it’s now been turned into a recurring franchise, so obviously Bethesda has done something right with Dishonored.

GEARS OF WAR

Say what you will about the art direction (brown and browner), the Xbox 360 exclusive Gears of War series has given us a thrilling “no hope” storyline, combined with slick third-person shooting and addictive multiplayer. It’s obvious this franchise isn’t going anywhere.

MASS EFFECT

One of my personal favorite franchises, the Mass Effect trilogy brought us a sweeping, epic story that promised to make your many choices matter – and for the most part, pulled it off, Mass Effect 3‘s ending notwithstanding. Commander Shepard’s story may be over, but BioWare has already promised more adventures in this sci-fi universe, and I personally can’t wait.

UNCHARTED

The game that taught Lara Croft how to be Lara Croft again, Naughty Dog‘s PS3 exclusive trilogy brought us incredibly likable characters with great platforming and puzzles. The shooting elements are basic and lack depth, but the Uncharted series feels so much like a movie that you really won’t notice – or care.

I’m sure I missed something… so what do you think? What franchises created during this generation made it the most memorable for you?

Anywayyy, best new IP for me this gen was the Souls series, specifically Dark Souls. Two of the best games I have ever played, unbelievably excited for Dark Souls 2. Also Infamous, Dead Space (not counting 3) and Borderlands were excellent new IPs. I’m sure there are more I just can’t think of them off the top of my head.